Black Zetsu slipped into the ground, then suddenly surfaced again.
He quickly rushed to Setsuna's side, viciously kicked the corpse a few times, and then, before Takeshi arrived, sank back underground.
With his Mayfly Technique, he sped toward the Land of Rain.
He needed to get the Rinnegan back before Yōwan did.
When Takeshi followed the trail of blood to reach Setsuna, all he found was a horribly mangled corpse.
"Who did this?!"
The blood hole in the eye socket proved Setsuna had died at someone else's hand. Takeshi strained his Sage Mode to search the area, but of course, he found no one.
When Takeshi dragged Setsuna's body back to meet Uchiha Hikari, Kamizuki Izumo and Hagane Kotetsu had already finished cleaning up the battlefield corpses.
"Twelve Guardian Ninja — Kazuma."
With just a glance at the faces, Takeshi immediately recognized the most famous one among them.
"The Twelve Guardian Ninja, weren't they bodyguards for the daimyō—"
Kamizuki Izumo cut himself off mid-sentence, clearly realizing the complexity of the matter.
"Even the daimyō want you dead. You really are some Hokage..."
Uchiha Hikari, as always, mocked Takeshi.
"You don't get it. Successful men are always envied by others."
Takeshi flicked his hair back, trying to act like a cool guy.
Uchiha Hikari narrowed her eyes, looking at Takeshi's performance with disdain.
"Just a cocky brat getting carried away."
"Yes, yes, I'm the brat, and you're Uchiha Granny, okay?"
After spending many days together, Takeshi had figured out how to counter Hikari's barbs.
"You're the granny!"
Uchiha Hikari widened her eyes and reached out to grab Takeshi's collar.
"Hey, Granny, take it easy. Careful you don't throw out your back."
"I'll burn you alive!"
As the two broke into a chase, Kamizuki Izumo nudged Hagane Kotetsu.
"Why do I feel like they're both just kids?"
"Quiet, do you have a death wish?"
Hagane Kotetsu hurriedly clapped a hand over Izumo's mouth, warning him to be careful with his words.
He had no intention of being sent to the Konoha Internal Affairs Department to eat village rations at such a young age. He still had a bright future ahead — maybe even a chance at becoming a jōnin before he turned fifty. He couldn't let it end here.
...
At the Kikyo Pass base.
Jiraiya frowned, his gaze falling on the nearby Pakura.
Pakura of Scorch Release, Sunagakure's hero in the war against Kirigakure. Jiraiya had heard her name before. Her appearance was indeed striking, but...
Because Pakura had spent so many years fighting Kirigakure, Konoha had little intelligence about her.
But one thing Konoha knew: years ago, Sunagakure had officially declared that Pakura had been killed.
And yet, not only had this person suddenly reappeared after all these years, she had also just so happened to rescue the daimyō from Rasa.
This series of coincidences made Jiraiya deeply wary.
Noticing Jiraiya's gaze, Pakura remained perfectly composed.
The negotiations with Konoha had been handled by Chiyo and Ebizō, but the Konoha envoys had immediately presented some excessive demands.
Chiyo naturally dared not agree. The terms were far harsher than during Rasa's time.
Frankly speaking, once the treaty was signed, Sunagakure's position might really sink to that of a roadside stray.
Those Konoha bastards were clearly trying to turn Sunagakure into their vassal!
Chiyo had originally wanted to drive the Konoha envoys out, but with Iwagakure still watching for any opportunity, she had no choice but to hold her temper and play along.
But who could have expected that Pakura, who had never shown interest in negotiating with Konoha, would, upon learning of the situation, decisively bypass Chiyo and Ebizō, directly speak with the Konoha envoys herself, and finally agree to most of Konoha's demands?
The upper echelons were in an uproar.
Everyone believed the new Fourth Kazekage must be seriously ill in the head. Otherwise, how could she accept such terms?
But Pakura's reply was simple.
She had already reported the treaty to the daimyō's mansion, and the daimyō himself had said its contents were fair.
"Of course the daimyō thinks it's fair! He's long wanted to bypass Sunagakure and give missions directly to the more reputable Konoha shinobi!"
Chiyo slammed her fist on the table, trying to make Pakura change her mind.
But Pakura shut her down with a single, airy sentence.
"I am the Kazekage."
That was why Pakura's expression was so calm, while Chiyo and Ebizō sat with darkened faces, silent.
As everyone harbored their own thoughts waiting for Takeshi to arrive, a figure suddenly appeared beside Jiraiya with a flicker.
After hearing the whisper in his ear, Jiraiya's face changed. He turned his head, searching for Minato.
Konoha's commotion did not escape the eyes of Chiyo and the others seated opposite. Seeing the solemn looks on their faces, Chiyo grimly speculated whether something had happened to that detestable Fifth Hokage.
If that brat had been taken down like Rasa, it would be perfect.
Just picturing the scene made the corners of Chiyo's mouth curl upward.
Heh heh.
"Surround them!"
Minato's sharp command rang out, and the Konoha shinobi in charge of security surged forward, encircling the Sunagakure delegation completely.
"What are you doing? We're here to sign a treaty!"
Chiyo slammed the table, instinctively assuming Konoha was about to wipe them out.
"The Fifth Hokage-sama was just attacked. The culprit has already been executed. He was a Sunagakure shinobi!"
Minato stared coldly at Chiyo, signaling for the evidence to be brought forward.
The corpse of Baki, dead beyond doubt, was dragged out by Konoha shinobi and thrown to the ground.
"Baki?"
Chiyo's mouth twitched. She clearly recognized him.
Not smirking now.
After Rasa's death, the trusted Baki had also vanished. Chiyo had assumed he'd defected like Yashamaru. Who would've thought he'd actually gone to assassinate the Hokage?
What a fool.
At best, Baki was just an elite among jōnin. How much courage did it take to go after Takeshi?
"Sunagakure's actions are utterly disgraceful. We will not tolerate this!"
Minato's expression was severe, his gaze toward Sunagakure as cold as if he were looking at corpses.
"This is a misunderstanding! Baki had already left the village—"
Chiyo tried to salvage the situation.
In the shadows, Uchiha Hikari sipped a glass of lemonade, savoring Chiyo's desperate excuses.
"So, you foresaw this would happen. That's why you kept that half-faced guy alive?"
Glancing at Takeshi, who was sipping orange juice, Hikari hadn't expected him to be so farsighted.
"Not really. I just thought he might be useful, so I froze him to wait for a good opportunity. The Twelve Guardian Ninja's assassination attempt just happened to be perfectly timed."
Takeshi took a loud slurp of orange juice, then patted his stomach in satisfaction and burped.
Though honestly, he hadn't expected that besides the daimyō's people, there would also be some unknown Uchiha involved in this assassination.
He hadn't received any intel on that.
Come to think of it, he still needed to hurry back to the village with the body, let Fugaku take a look, and see if he recognized the guy.
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Pls Drop some Power Stones
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